Electrically actuated ball lift for use in marble pin games



Feb. 10, 1953 M. J. BINKS 2,628,102

ELECTRICALLY A T ATED BALL LIFT FOR USE IN M LE PIN GAMES Filed Sept.15, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

Feb. 10, 1953 M. J. BINKS 2,628,102

ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED BALL LIFT FOR USE IN MARBLE PIN GAMES Filed Sept.15, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 r W L 47 j/ l I i I. :35 T I] i r 58 15 42 M4237 y 44 .21 v 43 9 40 12 1 INVENTOR.

flz's Attorney- Patented Feb. 10, 1953 ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED BALL LIFTFOR USE IN IVIARBLE PIN GAMES Melvin J. Binks, Chicago, Ill., assignorto Republic Patent Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of IllinoisApplication September 15, 1949, Serial No. 115,875

This invention relates to new and simplified electrically actuated balllifts for use in marble pin games.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of a new andimproved structure of this character which will be highly efiicient inuse and economical in manufacture.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplifiedarrangement for effecting elevation of a ball from a ball return troughof a pin ball game to the feed runway for delivery of the ball to ballprojecting position. In this connection it is an object of the inventionto effect actuation of the ball lift actuating mechanism by the ball tobe elevated to ballprojecting position.

In accomplishing this object, the elevation of the ball to such positionis entirely independent of any action on the part of the player. In thisrespect the elevation of the ball may be said to be substantiallyautomatic.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by refer- I ence to theaccompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating my ball elevating mechanism; 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 2--2 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 3-3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 4-4 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the mech anism shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a suggested circuit diagram embodied in the invention.

In standard and conventional marble'pin ball games, the cabinet of suchgames provides'an enclosed inclined play board down which balls areadapted to gravitate. Along one longitudinal side edge of such boardthere is provided a projecting runway through which a ball is projectedto the upper end portion of the board for gravitation thereover. Suchball is usually projected through said runway by a ball projector.

The spent balls from the play board find lodgement in an inclined returntrough. Such return trough is fragmentarily illustrated at I0 in Figs. 1and 5.

These spent balls are elevated one at a time from the return trough toan inclined feeding trough for gravitation to a position in front of the3 Claims. (Cl. 273118) 2 ball projector; This feed trough isillustratedin the drawings (Figs. 1 and 5) at I I.

My invention has to do with the elevation of the ball from the returntrough II] to the feed trough M. This is accomplished by providing amounting late I2 which may be secured to a wall within the cabinet withwhich it is associated.

Extending from this mounting plate I2 and secured thereto in anysuitable manner as by spot it U welding or the like, are lateral platesI3 supporting therebetween in spaced parallel relation with respect tothe plate I2 the upper end portion of an elevating tube I4, the saidtube being secured to the plates 53 in any suitable manner, as forexample, by spot welding.

The lower end portion of the tube I4 is supported in parallel spacedrelation with respect to the plate I2 by a supporting plate I5 securedthereto in a like manner.

Located a predetermined distance from the lower end of the tube l4 andsecured thereto as at I6, is a bracket H on which is positioned theadjacent end portion of the return trough Ill, such trough I0 beingsecured to the bracket by means of suitable securing elements I8. Thisbracket I! provides parallelly extending spaced apart arms [9 havingformed therein aligned slots 20.

Slidably arranged within the tube I4 and operating in such slots 29 isan elevator bar 2|. The upper end portion 22 of this bar 2| operates inth tube I4 and provides an inclined ball seat 23 on which a ball fromthe return trough I0 is adapted to find lodgement. This seat 23 engagesa stop pin 24 provided by an adjacent arm of the arms I 9 and securedthereto in any suitable manner as at 25.

The upper end portion of the tube I4 communicates as at 26 with the feedtrough II. Formed in the wall 2! of the tube I 4 is an elongated opening28. Projecting into the tube I4 through such opening 23 for engagementby a ball lodged on seat 23, is a spring finger 29 of a switch leaf 30carried by a mounting block 3|, secured to the wall 21 by means ofscrews 32. This switch leaf 3!) has a contact head 33 adapted to engageaconfronting contact head 34 of a switch leaf 36 carried by the block 3I.

The arrangement is such that a ball gravitating from the return troughIii will lodge on the ball seat 23 in pressing'engagement'against thespring finger 29.

The weight of such ball will move the spring finger 29 projectingthrough the opening and flex 3 the spring leaf 3!} to move the contacthead 33 into engagement with the contact head 34.

The lower end portion of the elevating bar 2| provides an extension 3'!extending substantially at right angles with respect thereto. Mounted onthe mounting plate I2, as by means of screws 38, is an electricallyoperated motor 39 having an armature shaft 40. Mounted on such armatureshaft 40 is a cam disk 4|. Connected as by means of screws 42 to thisdisk 4| for rotation with the disk 4| is an actuating arm 43.

One end portion of this actuating arm 43 carries a roller 44 which isadapted to be brought into engagement with the extension 31 uponoperation of the motor 39.

A bracket 45 is secured to the plate 12 by means of screws 46. Thisbracket supports a switch block 4! extending from which are switchfingers 48 and 49 having confronting contact heads 59 adapted undercertain conditions for engagement with respect to each other. The switchfinger 49 has a depending extension disposed in the path of the hill 52of the cam disk 4|. The arrangement is such that upon engagement of thedepending extension 51 with the cam hill 52, the contact heads 59 willbe brought into engagement with respect to each other.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a suggested circuit for the motor 39, inwhich circuit there is a power source 53. An observation of this circuitis selfexplanatory.

In the initial or starting position of the cam disk 4-! the actuatingarm 43 will be disposed in the position shown in Fig. l. A ballgravitating from the return trough II) will lodge on the seat 23,disposing its weight against the spring finger 29, flexing the springleaf 30 to move the contact head 33 into engagement with the contacthead 34 to initially energize the motor 39. Upon this initialenergization of the motor 39 the roller 44 will be brought intoengagement with the extension 31 and initiate upward elevation of thebar 2|.

Prior to the time that the ball is removed from engagement with thespring finger 29 by virtue of elevation of the bar 2|, the cam hill 52will have engaged the extension 51 of the switch leaf 49 and flexed thesame to bring the contact head 59 thereof into contact with the contacthead 59 of the companion switch leaf 48,

thus taking over the energization of the motor 39 after the contacts 33and 34 have been separated. Continued operation of the motor willelevate the bar 2! to a position where the ball is discharged from theseat 23 into the feed trough H for gravitation to a position in front ofthe ball projector (not shown).

' The inertia of the motor 39 after the contacts 59 have been separatedwill carry the actuating arm 43 back to its initial or starting positionas shown in Fig. 1.

By this simple arrangement a ball elevating mechanism is provided forreturning a ball from the return trough to the projecting apparatuswithout any action on the part of the player of the game.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I 4 claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A mechanism for elevating balls from a return trough to a feed troughof a marble pin game comprising a tube having communication with theoutlet end of the return trough and the inlet end of the feed trough,the feed trough being in a plane above that of the return trough, anelevating member movable longitudinally within the tube and having oneend providing a ball seat adapted to receive a ball from the returntrough, cam means for reciprocating said elevating member within saidtube, electromagnetic means including a power circuit for actuating saidcam, a pair of switch members connected in parallel in said circuit, oneof said switch members being a ball-actuated starting switch disposedadjacent to the outlet of the return trough for engagement with a ballmoving from said return trough onto said ball seat and adapted to beclosed by said ball, said starting switch remaining closed until saidball is elevated out of engagement therewith by said elevating member,the other of said switch members being a holding switch and having anextension adapted to be engaged by a hill of said cam subsequent to theclosing of the said first-mentioned switch member by said ball, saidholding switch remaining closed until the elevating member returns tostarting position with respect to said return trough.

2. A mechanism for elevating balls from a return trough to a feed troughof a marble pin game comprising a tube having communication with theoutlet end of the return trough and the inlet end of the feed trough,the feed trough being in a plane above that of the return trough, anelevating member movable longitudinally within the tube and having oneend providing a ball seat adapted to receive a ball from the returntrough, means for reciprocating said elevating member within said tube,electromagnetic means including a power circuit for actuating saidreciprocating means, a pair of switch members connected in parallel insaid circuit, one of said switch members being a ball-actuated startingswitch disposed adjacent to the outlet of the return trough forengagement with a ball moving from said return trough onto said ballseat and adapted to be closed by said ball, said starting switchremaining closed until said ball is elevated out of engagement therewithby said elevating member, the other of said switch members being aholding switch and having an extension adapted to be engaged by anelement of said reciprocating means subsequent to the closing of thesaid firstmentioned switch member by said ball, said holding switchremaining closed until the elevating member returns to starting positionwith respect to said return trough.

3. A mechanism for elevating balls from a return trough to a feed troughof a marble pin game comprising a tube having communication with theoutlet end of the return trough and the inlet end of the feed trough,the feed trough being in a plane above that of the return trough, anelevating member movable longitudinally within the tube and having oneend providing a ball seat adapted to receive a ball from the returntrough, an electric motor including a power circuit therefor, a cam diskon said motor, a roller bearing member carried by the cam and adapted toengage an element of said elevating member, a pair of switch membersconnected in parallel in said circuit, one of said switch members be- 6ing a ball-actuated starting switch disposed ad- REFERENCES CITED jacentto the outlet of the return trough for en- The followin references areof record in the gagement with a ball moving from said return we of this'z trough onto said ball seat and adapted to be closed by said ball,said starting switch remaining 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS closed until saidball is elevated. out of engage- Number Na Date ment therewith by saidelevating member, the 1,263,875 Fekete Apr. 23, 1918 other of saidswitch members being a holding 2,197,491 Bellah Apr. 16, 1940 switch andhaving an extension adapted to be 2,295,599 Mozel Sept. 15, 1942 engagedby a hill of said cam disk subsequent to go the closing of thefirst-mentioned switch mem- FOREIGN PATENTS her by said ball, saidholding switch remaining Number Country Date closed until the elevatingmember returns to 53%,838 Great Britain Mar. 19, 1941 starting positionwith respect to said return trough. 15

MELVIN J. BINKS.

